1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a hydraulic tool and, more specifically, a hand-held, portable, battery-powered hydraulic tool.
2. Brief Description of Prior Developments
International PCT patent publication No. WO 03/084719 A2 discloses a hydraulic pressing device which is powered by a battery. Hydraulic power tools are employed in numerous applications to provide a user with a desired mechanical advantage. One example application is in crimping tools used for making crimping connections, such as crimping power connectors onto conductors. Another example application is in cutting tools where hydraulic power enables a user to apply a relatively large amount of force or pressure. In enabling such operations, it is generally desirable to provide a tool that can perform the desired operations, and is manageable as well. With regards to hydraulic power tools, this can often be difficult as conventional hydraulic tools are generally heavy and cumbersome to handle, at least partially owing to the high loads such tools are often subjected to during operation. Notwithstanding this cumbersome aspect of a conventional hydraulic tool, it is desirable that the hydraulic tool be portable and hand-held. Many operators prefer a battery-powered hydraulic tool since it forgoes manual pumping by the operator to actuate the hydraulics and, hence, involves less physical effort on the part of the operator to operate the tool.
Hydraulic power tools largely come in different configurations including, for example, a pistol configuration and an in-line configuration. U.S. Pat. No. 5,727,417 discloses a portable, in-line, battery-powered crimper. The longitudinal axis of the crimper's battery is in line with the tool longitudinal axis. The tool comprises one, long section wherein the tool longitudinal axis is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the crimper's working head. EP0860245 also discloses an in-line pressing tool with coupled jaws that are spring biased in a closed position.